Can Clomid alter cycle length?

lazfam1120

My cycles have consistently been 31-34 days for the past year, and I have always gotten AF two weeks exactly after a positive OPK result (typically on the later side - day 20/22, including cycle #1 using clomid. Cycle 2 with clomid, my period came 8dpo, making my cycle the same length, but only a week after ovulation. Has anyone experienced shorter luteal phase? I'm now in Cycle 3 of Clomid, and also used trigger shot (Ovidrel) on day 14.

sept14

My cycles actually seem to go longer when I'm on Clomid,

ScarletBegonia79

i have a 28-29 day cycle like clockwork but when i am on clomid it is a bit longer.

GraceyandTroy

Clomid can definitely alter cycle length.  But, it should be helping you have a stronger ovulation and in turn, a healthier lp.  If you have been starting your period exactly two weeks after your +opk, then it sounds like you already have an issue with your lp.  I have been having short lps as well and my RE suggested that the trigger should help.  Hopefully the same will be true for you on this third clomid cycle. 

Frenchteachermama

I've never taken clomid but my femara is definitely making my cycles a bit longer.  Although it could be the progesterone I'm on too...

lazfam1120

GraceyandTroy said:

Clomid can definitely alter cycle length.  But, it should be helping you have a stronger ovulation and in turn, a healthier lp.  If you have been starting your period exactly two weeks after your +opk, then it sounds like you already have an issue with your lp.  I have been having short lps as well and my RE suggested that the trigger should help.  Hopefully the same will be true for you on this third clomid cycle. 

Out of curiosity, why would that mean that I have an issue with my lp? I consistently get it 2 weeks after the positive day, + or - 1 day. So typically, around 14dpo. Last month, however, I got my period 8dpo, which I thought was strange. Not to mention torture, since it started with a little spotting!

GraceyandTroy

@lazfam1120, are you charting as well to confirm the exact date of ovulation?  Most women ovulate 2-3 days after the +opk, so if you are getting a period exactly 14 days after the +opk, that means you're probably having an 11-12 day lp.  That's not terribly bad, but it's not exactly the best either.  If you'v talked to your RE about it and they weren't concerned, then you probably don't need to be either.  

But I was thinking about your original question about meds changing the length of a cycle and I wanted to point out the complexity of the issue at hand.  It's more about how long each phase of the cycle is rather than how long the cycle is as a whole.  For example, a month or so ago, I had a 30 day cycle.  That sounds great, until you look at my chart and see that I o'ed on day 23 and only had a 7 day lp.  So, late ovulation can be a problem for good eggs and a short lp is a problem for implantation.  Back she I took clomid, I o'ed on cd17, and m Dr thought that was still far too late esp since I had taken clomid.  So, its important to look at the big picture.  Or rather, the fine details within the big picture.  

lazfam1120

GraceyandTroy said:

@lazfam1120, are you charting as well to confirm the exact date of ovulation?  Most women ovulate 2-3 days after the +opk, so if you are getting a period exactly 14 days after the +opk, that means you're probably having an 11-12 day lp.  That's not terribly bad, but it's not exactly the best either.  If you'v talked to your RE about it and they weren't concerned, then you probably don't need to be either.  

But I was thinking about your original question about meds changing the length of a cycle and I wanted to point out the complexity of the issue at hand.  It's more about how long each phase of the cycle is rather than how long the cycle is as a whole.  For example, a month or so ago, I had a 30 day cycle.  That sounds great, until you look at my chart and see that I o'ed on day 23 and only had a 7 day lp.  So, late ovulation can be a problem for good eggs and a short lp is a problem for implantation.  Back she I took clomid, I o'ed on cd17, and m Dr thought that was still far too late esp since I had taken clomid.  So, its important to look at the big picture.  Or rather, the fine details within the big picture.  

I never had much luck charting. Things were all over the place because I am up and down so much in the night. So I really only have the OPK to go by. So I'm not sure the actual day that I O, but I know the day I get a positive OPK and I have typically gotten my period just about 2 weeks, give or take a day, after that, with the whole cycle ranging from 31-34 days. Last month was different. Like you said, I still had a 34 day cycle, but a much shorter LP than i typically do. I guess we'll see what happens this month. My RE has never been concerned with anything having to do with my cycles, so who knows. Maybe it's a question to ask at my next appt.

Jodee37

I have no experience as I haven't taken Clomid but @graceyandtroy makes an excellent point about the length of your LP. It sounds like it's borderline too short.